In the key verse for our daily devotional we see that Joseph explains how the Lord used what his brothers meant to be “evil” had been turned into good, not only for his brothers but for the people of Egypt as well. This is the same principle found inRomans 8:28.

Our reading inGenesis 50is the end of the life of Joseph after he had been allowed by the Pharaoh to return to the land of Israel and to bury his father in the Machpelah Cave in Hebron, the burial site of Abraham and Isaac and their wives,Genesis 50:13.

The burial follows Jacob “blessing” his sons and foretelling the history that would follow all of his sons, a history as recorded inGenesis 49. There is a special blessing given to two of the sons Judah, verses 8-12, and Joseph,verses 22-26.

Notice the blessing given to Judah, and the prophetic significance of this son of Jacob, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Judah is told that the “sceptre”, the “royal authority”, shall not depart from him until “Shiloh” come,verse 10. Shiloh is a term for Messiah Jesus Christ but also may be used to mean, “until He that is the one to be the saviour of the Jewish people has come.

It would be through the tribe of Judah that Jesus Christ would come to the earth. Genesis 49concludes with the death of Jacob but not the end of the plan of God that would play out in the family of Jacob.

Now back inGenesis 50we see that indeed the sons of Jacob did fulfill the desire of Jacob to have his body taken to Israel to be buried. It is after his death and burial that his sons get very fearful that now Joseph would turn on them in retaliation for how they had treated him.

That was not the way of Joseph and in fact then he made the statement to his brothers, which is our key verse for today,verse 20. Joseph’s statement about God’s plan for his brothers, found in our key verse, was followed by Joseph again providing for his brothers,verse 21.

It was not long after that, that Joseph would also die, but before that he would also get his brothers promise that they would take his bones into the “promise land” to be buried,verses 22 to 26.

It is interesting to note that both Jacob and Joseph wanted to be buried in Israel, the land that God has given to the Jews. It is in concert with the “blessings” that Jacob gave to his sons, the prophetic events of the last days for Israel.

God has a plan for the Jews and it will be carried out as we can witness even today. Again, the Lord is setting the foundation for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled, in our day. This also sets the stage for the Rapture to take place at any moment, maybe even today. Keep looking up.

PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for the Jewish people, who are evidence that Bible Prophecy is, and will be fulfilled. That reality must help me to be ready for these events to be fulfilled, help me to live expecting your return.